Inside

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Inside, a game that places minimal stress on modern hardware. With a combo rank of 555 out of 1,671 tested configurations, this pairing sits comfortably in the top third of all systems, indicating that it is more than capable of handling this title. The data shows that the primary constraint in this puzzle platformer is the GPU, but even that component is rarely pushed to its limits at standard resolutions, resulting in a fluid experience that far exceeds the demands of the game's 2016 release.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 1,671 tested combos, this specific pairing of CPU and GPU ranks 555th for Inside. This places it in the 67th percentile, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of all other system configurations tested in this game. Given the game's age and its non-demanding 2D side-scrolling nature, this high ranking is expected; the hardware is vastly overqualified for the task. The ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 3070 Ti's raw rasterization power, as the game does not utilize advanced features like ray tracing or DLSS, which could otherwise differentiate newer GPUs.

The data indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti, which sits at the 74th percentile against all GPUs, is the dominant factor in this combo's performance. The CPU, while ranking at the 88th percentile overall, is largely idle in this scenario, as Inside does not simulate complex physics or manage large numbers of entities. The bottleneck analysis is clear: at 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is capable of producing frame rates well above 200 FPS, which is beyond the refresh rate of most displays. This means the system is not fully utilized, but the "weakest link" is still the GPU, as the CPU's single-threaded performance is more than sufficient to feed the graphics card.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Inside with this hardware?*

A: The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot. At High settings, the system produces 141.3 FPS, which is a massive improvement over the 4K result of 89 FPS, while still offering a significant resolution upgrade over 1080p. This allows for a crisp image without sacrificing the high frame rate that the game's smooth animations benefit from.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. The measured average FPS at 4K Ultra is 86.5, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. While this is perfectly playable, it is noticeably lower than the frame rates achieved at lower settings, indicating that the GPU is finally being pushed to a meaningful load.

Q: How big is the performance gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p Low, the system averages 341.6 FPS. Moving to Ultra drops this to 189.7 FPS. This represents a performance reduction of roughly 44%, showing that even in a simple game, the Ultra preset imposes a significant load on the graphics card.

*Q: Is this CPU a bottleneck for the RTX 3070 Ti in Inside?*

A: The benchmark results suggest it is not. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 341.6 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate. If the CPU were a limiting factor, the frame rate would plateau regardless of resolution. Since the FPS scales significantly with resolution and settings, the GPU is clearly the primary performance driver.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i5-14400F scores 21,914 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-12800H, scores 32,513 in average benchmark score, showing a negligible 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 is also within 0.2% of its average score, indicating that this chip is very competitive in its class for multi-threaded workloads.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The data shows a difference of only 3.7 FPS. The High preset averages 141.3 FPS, while Ultra averages 137.6 FPS. This minimal gap suggests that the Ultra preset's additional visual effects are not very taxing on the RTX 3070 Ti at this resolution, making it a virtually free upgrade.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals the GPU-centric nature of this workload. At High settings, the system produces 197.6 FPS at 1080p. Moving to 1440p, the frame rate drops to 141.3 FPS, a reduction of approximately 28%. When scaling further to 4K, the frame rate falls to 89 FPS, which is another 37% reduction from the 1440p figure. This consistent and substantial drop with each resolution increase is a classic sign that the graphics card is the limiting component.

This pattern is even more pronounced at Low settings. The 1080p result of 341.6 FPS drops to 286.1 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 181.7 FPS at 4K. The fact that the frame rate continues to scale so dramatically with resolution, even when the graphical load is minimal, confirms that the CPU is not the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates at 1080p and 1440p would be nearly identical. Instead, the data shows that the RTX 3070 Ti's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the determining factors for performance.

The scaling also indicates that the 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on the GPU is sufficient for this game, as there is no anomalous performance collapse at 4K that would suggest a memory capacity issue. The frame rates remain playable at all resolutions, but the 4K results show the GPU nearing its limit. For players with a 144Hz monitor, the 1440p results are ideal, as they are consistently above the refresh rate. For those with a 60Hz 4K display, the Ultra preset at 86.5 FPS will provide a smooth and visually impressive experience.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimizing the visual experience. At 4K, the Ultra preset delivers 86.5 FPS, which is a playable result. However, the High preset at 89 FPS offers nearly the same performance with a negligible difference of 2.5 FPS. Given the minimal performance cost, the Ultra preset is the better choice for 4K, as it provides the best image quality for a marginal performance hit. The Medium preset at 142.5 FPS is the best option for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming, but it sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the choice is more nuanced. The Ultra preset runs at 137.6 FPS, which is excellent for most high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset is 3.7 FPS faster, making the difference negligible. In this case, the Ultra preset is recommended to get the most out of the hardware, as the performance cost is minimal. For players with a 240Hz display, the Medium preset at 230.8 FPS is the only option that approaches that refresh rate, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a game like Inside.

At 1080p, every setting is playable, with even the Ultra preset hitting 189.7 FPS. The Low preset at 341.6 FPS is far beyond any display's capability. The data suggests that the High or Ultra presets are the best choices here, as they offer the best balance of image quality and performance. The Ultra preset's 189.7 FPS is still well above the refresh rate of most 1080p monitors, making it the clear recommendation. The Medium preset offers no meaningful advantage over High, as the difference is only a few frames per second.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system demonstrates its overwhelming power. The Low preset produces an average of 341.6 FPS, which is the highest result in the entire dataset. The Medium preset follows at 315.2 FPS, and the High preset achieves 197.6 FPS. The Ultra preset, while the most demanding, still manages 189.7 FPS. This data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rates vary significantly with the preset.

At 1440p, the results show a similar pattern but with lower absolute numbers. The Low preset averages 286.1 FPS, the Medium preset 230.8 FPS, the High preset 141.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset 137.6 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is remarkably small, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional features are not very costly at this resolution. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of the game.

At 4K, the system is finally challenged. The Low preset averages 181.7 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset drops to 142.5 FPS, and the High preset averages 89 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing 86.5 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 2.5 FPS, making the Ultra preset a free upgrade. The frame rates at 4K are all playable, but the scaling shows that the RTX 3070 Ti is working much harder at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.70 GHz. In a game like Inside, which is a 2D puzzle platformer, the CPU’s role is minimal. The game does not require complex AI pathfinding or large-scale physics simulations. The data confirms this, as the frame rates are almost entirely dependent on the GPU’s load.

The CPU’s single-threaded performance, which is often critical for gaming, is strong. It scores 3,093 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 3,723 in Passmark single-thread. This is more than adequate for the game's logic. The multi-threaded performance is also robust, scoring 21,914 in Cinebench R23, but it is not utilized by Inside. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache and the 10 cores are unnecessary for this title, but they do not hinder performance.

The processor’s 65W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are irrelevant to the game's performance. The data shows that the CPU is never the bottleneck, as the frame rates scale consistently with GPU load. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to limit performance, the system achieves 341.6 FPS, indicating that the CPU is nowhere near its limits. This pairing is a classic example of a high-end CPU that is wasted on a game that does not need it, but it ensures there is absolutely no risk of CPU-induced stuttering or frame drops.